Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) Gardening
Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) is a species of evergreen herbaceous perennial in the family Asparagaceae, native to South Africa. It is also known as Variegated Spider Plant, Ribbon Plant, and Airplane Plant.
Spider plant is a fast-growing, clump-forming plant that are grown for its foliage, 0.9 m tall and across. The grass-like, medium- to dark-green glossy recurving leaves are long and narrow, 20-40 cm long and 5-20 mm wide, and grow from a central rosette. Mature plant produces arching stolons, 30-90 cm long, with small white flowers. The flower give rise to seed filled capsules about 0.8 cm long, followed by baby plantlets. The baby plantlets are resembled its miniature self. Spider plant has fleshy tuberous roots that store reserve food and water.
The wild species has green leaves, and variegated cultivars have leaves that come in various shades of green, and bands with white or yellow stripe, or vice versa. The most popular and widely grown are the variegated cultivars 'Vittatum' and 'Variegatum'. 'Variegatum' has white stripes on the margins of the leaves with green down the center; and 'Vittatum' has recurved leaves with white central stripes.
Spider plant is an excellent houseplant, as it is an easy-growing plant that has beneficial properties in cleansing the air of pollutants, such as formaldehyde and carbon monoxide. Spider plant is excellent for hanging baskets, containers, as groundcover in garden beds and borders, or placed at balconies, window sills, and on raised pedestal.
Spider plant needs bright light or filtered sunlight, and well-drained soil for a healthy growth and vibrant leaf colors. When the soil is kept too dry or becomes too salty from watering with hard water, brown leaf tips will occur. Remove dried and yellow leaves regularly to keep it tidy. Spider plant is easily propagated from the baby plantlets produced by the mother plant, or by division of main root mass.
Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
Author: Dtarazona (public domain)
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